Draw drape assembly with pleats foldable successively outwardly



March 28, 1967 T. T. MASON ETAL 3,311,158

DRAW DRAPE ASSEMBLY WITH PLEATS FOLDABLE SUCCESSIVELY OUTWARDLY Filed Jan. 16, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS M h 1 T. T. MASON ETAL DRAW DRAPE ASSEMBLY WITH PLEATS FOLDABLE SUCCESSIVELY OUTWARDLY 119d Jan 16 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m 0 MM m N v A W M m m MA 0 my United States Patent ()ffice 3,311,158 Patented Mar. 28, 1967 3,311,158 DRAW DRAPE ASSEMBLY WITH PLEATS FDLD- ABLE SUCCESSIVELY OUTWARDLY Thomas T. Mason, 3830 Daphne, Houston, Tex. 77021,

and Ben A. Mason, In, 154 Harrison, San Antonio,

Tex. 78204 Filed Jan. 16, 1964, Ser. No. 338,087 3 Claims. (Cl. 160126) This invention relates to a draw drape assembly with pleats adapted to fold successively outwardly thereby permitting the operation of a wide drape without jamming of carriers and excessive bunching of folds and increased resistance to opening, and additionally providing an enhanced artistic or aesthetic effect in the process of opening and closing.

As a primary object the invention sets out to provide a draw drape assembly with pleats foldable successively outwardly, such being adapted for employment as a conventional drape for a residence or business establishment, as well as for special usages.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a draw drape assembly of this class which will permit the operation of a wide drape, since it is constructed to avoid the jamming of carriers and excessive bunching of folds.

It is another and important object of this invention to provide adapter means for converting conventional draw drape assemblies to fold pleats successively from outermost pleats inwardly, whereby conventional tracks may be used, it only being necessary to replace the conventional carriers by slide brackets and their respective .clutch bars, and additionally to provide only minor spacer and adapter means to direct the pull cords so that the conventional pulley arrangement may be used.

pulleys, slides, drape carriers and pleat spacing clutch bars of a drag assembly in closed or aperture occluding position, such structure being in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic view of the drape assembly shown in FIG. 1, in opening position;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary, elevational view of two spaced apart slide brackets with a right hand type of clutch bar extending from a trailing slide bracket in direction of a leading slide bracket to hold its pleat unfolded until it contacts the preceding slide bracket whereby said clutch bar is de-clutched and takes the same position shown for the clutch bar to the right, thus to permit the cord to slide freely through it and continue drawing the succeeding brackets to the side or folded position;

FIG. 4 is a transverse elevational view, part in section, taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an elevational view of the clutch bar shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view, showing the right hand form of the clutch bar shown in right hand side elevation in FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is an isometric view, part cut away, showing the pull cords, track, slide brackets and method of drape pleat folding as affected by this invention.

FIG. 8 is an isometric view of a slide bracket, with right hand clutch bar, in accordance with the invention described in FIGS. 1-7, hereinabove; and

FIG. 9 is a sectional elevation-a1 view, taken along line 9-9 of FIG. 1.

Referring now in detail to the drawings in which like in the various views, an arrangement 10a is shown diagrammatically in FIGS. 1 and 2 in which a double pulley 21 having two parallel mounted sheaves 11a and 13a, best shown in FIG 9, is indicated as being mounted on the left end of a track, not shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, but shown in cross-section in FIG. 9, a pull cord 12 passing over the inner sheave of the pulley 21, such sheave being mounted inside the track, while the other sheave, over which passes a pull cord 14, is mounted outside the track, adjacent to, and parallel to, the sheave inside thereof.

The pull cord 14 extends from the outer sheave of the track left end double pulley 21 outside the track through successive clutch bars 2'3L, and their respective slide brackets 24 from which the clutch bars 23L slidably extend, the cord 14 terminating at, and being tied to, a left slide 19.

The anchored end of the pull cord 12 is tied to a right slide 15 and the central section 1 6 of such cord extends through successive slide brackets 24 and clutch bars 23R and around a single sheave pulley 21a, and thence without the track to be tied to a left slide 19. The pull cord 12 extends from the right slide 15 within the track to pass over the inner sheave 11a of the track left end thus unfolding the succeeding pleat, this occurring successively until the drape reaches its fully closed position.

The exertions of a pull on cord 12, as sown in FIG. 1, will cause clutch bars 23L and 231R to grip its a respective cord 14 and 16, thus maintaining spacing and causing the drapes to move outwardly with pleats in unfolded position. As the clutch bars 23L and 23R of the outermost carriers 24 contact the end stops 22 of the track or rod it will slide toward, and into, its carrier, thus unlatching the carrier from the cord after the pleat connected to it has been folded. The respective cords 14 and 16 then continue to move freely through the unlatched carriers. As each succeeding carrier clutch bar 23L or 23R contacts the preceding unlatched carrierit is in turn unlatched and each pleat is in turn folded until its respective drape is in the completely folded or open position.

As shown in FIG. 9, as aforesaid, the double pulley 21 is mounted on the track 25 with the sheave 13a for the opening pull cord 14 on the outside of the track, and with the sheave 11a for the closing pull cord 1-2 mounted within the track, a common rivet 2'6 connecting the sheaves to the track 25 and supplying the axles for the sheaves. As to the right end single pulley 21a, shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, it will be mounted within the track 25, with axle axis vertical and sheave groove in the horizontal plane, as in the case of conventionally mounted pulleys.

The general disposition of drapes, track and pull cords is best shown in FIG. 7 in which a track 25 is shown having a left drape 35 and a right drape 36 supported therefrom, by conventional hooks, not shown, which connect into the slide brackets 24, which in turn ride in the track slot 37. In spacing, one slide bracket 24 is provided for each pleat 38, and in the disclosure shown for this view, the arrangement shown in FIG. 2 is employed, the slides 15 and 19 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 being on the opposite sides of the track 25 in FIG. 7, and hence not being visible in this view. Also, in this view the double sheave pulley 21, being within the track end 39, is designated by its axle 26, which extends to the exterior of the track end. The view also shows the left bracket 40 by which the track 25 is mounted on. top of a window sill, and the like.

In FIGS. 3-6, inclusive, and in FIG. 8, the details of the slide bracket and clutch bar are shown, in relation to the track and pull cord, the slide bracket 24 being constructed with opposed panels 41a and 41b which are duplicated for universal applicability, whether a clutch bar 23L, as shown, is to be used or a clutch bar 23R.

The panels 41a and 41b are joined by a back plate 42 to the upper part of which is connected a slide adapter portion 43 which has a neck member 44 shown in eleva tion in FIG. 4, to be of substantially the width of the slot 37 to slide snugly therein. A retainer or base portion 43 inwardly of the neck member 44 rides within the track 25, and is of width, breadth and configuration to fit slidably within the track while restraining the slide bracket 24 against irregular movement in travel.

In FIG. 8 a construction of the slide bracket 24 and clutch bar 23L has been shown in which a slot 45 is provided to admit the cord laterally into constrained position with relation to the slide brackets. Such slots 45, one in each panel 41a and 41b, and in alignment with each other, each provides a V-shaped slot entry portion 45a; a reduced width neck or central slot portion 45b, of lesser measurements than the normal diameter of the cord to be received, and a round inner portion 45c of a larger diameter than the cord. Spaced below the slots 45, a rectangular window 47 is provided in each panel 41a and 41b, and such are in alignment. Thus, a clutch bar 23L is shown mounted on the panel 41b by means of inserting the foot 48 of the clutch bar 23L into the slot or panel window 47 so that when disposed horizontally, the outer ends of the foot 48 overextend the slot 47, while the clutch bar portion 49, of lesser width than the foot, extends through the slots 47 and outwardly from the panel. From the portion 49 a connection portion 50 extends downwardly and outwardly, tojoin an outer end portion 51, which is slightly wider than the portion 49, and which provides a cord receiving slot 52, such slot being comparably formed as the slots 45, with slot portions 49a, 49b, and 49c'to receive a cord therethrough.

The clutch bars 23L and 23R have offsets 50 which extend relatively downwardly from the relative horizontal positions attained by the feet 48 and the extensions 49 therefrom. When the clutch bars are declutched so that the feet 48 ride at the bottom of the :slot 47, it follows that the clutch bars must be made in left and right hand units.

The comparable clutch bar 23R for the slide brackets which hold up the pleats 38 of the right drape 36 as :shown in FIG. 7, are shown in FIGS. and 6 with all corresponding parts being proportional including the feet, the horizontal extensions thereform, the connecting offsets and the outer portions and slots provided therein. Thus, the only exception as to production is that the :slots 52 in the respective right and left clutch bars, face in opposite direction.

As to the means by which the drape pleats are latched into the slide brackets 24, various means may be used and this may be accomplished by providing various depending structures. Such structures extend downwardly from the connecting plates 42 between the panels 41a, 41b. As shown in cross-section in FIG. 8, a depending hook plate 53 is shown which can comprise successively, an upper section 54 extending angularly downwardly toward the pleat hooks, and a substantially vertically downwardly extending portion 55, and a terminal portion 56 extending downwardly at opposite angles to the section 54. Such upper and terminal hook plate sections are indicated in FIG. 4 as having bores 57 in the respective upper and terminal portions 54, 56 whereby such bores 4 or holes are spaced one above the other, so that the conventional hooks provided with the drapes, one for each pleat, may be connected into the hook plates 53 as is done in the case of conventional carriers.

Heretofore no draw drapes have been marketed in commerical and residential fields which have been adapted to fold outermost. As provided by this invention, the likelihood of bunching up of folds is obviated, whereas such is an expected occurrence with conventional drapes which fold beginning with innermost pleat and extending outwardly. Also, there is a decided enhanced aesthetic effect in the appearance of complete, fully extended pleats moving away from the center of a covered area in both directions.

Additionally it is possible to dedicate much greater widths of areas to be draped, as this invention permits such greater widths to be positively uncovered and covered without the possibility of stoppage through excess friction and bunching.

It is obvious that constructions equivalent in function may be provided other than the particular constructions shown for the clutch bars, slide brackets or carriers, spacers, adapters, and pulley arrangements.

As a matter of fact the invention considers a wide range of structures, modifications, embodiments, and variations, as long as such may fall within the broad spirit of the invention, and within the broad scope of interpretation claimed for and merited by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A draw drape assembly comprising a pair of pleated drapes with innermost pleats connected to respective slides of a pair of slides which meet when the drapes are drawn together to complementally provide a draped area, a horizontally extending track on which said slides are slidably mounted, separate slide brackets to slide in said track, longitudinally, horizontally outwardly of said slides, each bracket being provided with cord receiving notch means facing rearwardly of said track, said bracket being further provided with clutch bar slot means, and means therebelow through which a drape pleat may be connected thereto, a clutch bar extending horizontally, longitudinally outwardly through said clutch bar slot means in the direction of predetermined slide bracket movement and providing cord clutching notch means therein, said track mounting a double sheave, pull end pulley mounted on a horizontal axle wtih a first sheave positioned rearwardly of said track, and a second sheave positioned within said track at one end, and also mounting a single sheave at the other end on a vertical axis, said assembly including a drape opening pull cord extending from said pull end pulley upwardly over said second sheave and inserted successively through the notch means of the adjacent half of said clutch bars and of their respective slide brackets, and connected to the adjacent slide, a connecting cord connected at one end to said adjacent slide and extending within said track and around said single pulley, and inserted successively through the notch means of the other half of said slide brackets and of their respective clutch bars, and connnected at its other end to the other slide, and a drape closing pull cord with one end connected to said other slide and extending rearwardly of said track and over said first sheave and downwardly therefrom to its pull end, whereby said opening pull cord may be pulled to separate said drapes to travel longitudinally outwardly from fully closed position with pleats fully extended and slides in abutment to fold the pleats successively from the outermost pleat inwardly as successive clutch bars abut the next outward slide bracket to become de-clutched from their respective cords whereby the respective de-clutched clutch bars and their slide brackets may slide upon said respective cords.

2. A draw drape assembly including a horizontally extending track, a pair of slides slidably mounted on said track, a pair of pleated drapes, each with innermost pleat connected to a respective slide and with outermost pleat connected to a respective track end, a carrier connected to each pleat and slidable in said track, each carrier being provided with cord receiving notch means facing rearwardly of said track and also being provided with clutch bar slot means and with a clutch bar having cord clutching means therein, said clutch bar extending horizontally, longitudinally outwardly through the respective carrier provided clutch bar slot means in respective track end direction, a first and second pulley means mounted in respective ends of said tracks, an opening pull cord extending over the pulley means in one track end and inserted through the notch means of successive clutch bars and of their respective carriers and connected to the nearest slide and thence extending without said track and over the pulley means of the other track end and back to be inserted through the notch means of successive slide bars and of their respective carriers and connected to the other slide, and a closing pull cord extending over said first pulley means and within said track and tied to said other slide, said clutch bar notch means and said slot means being constructed to permit said clutch bars to slide longitudinally outwardly with relation to said carriers to clutch the respective cord therethrough thereby to latch said carriers to such cord upon said closing pull cord being pulled, and to permit said clutch bars to slide back into their respective carriers upon contacting a preceding carrier whereby to permit said respective pleats to fold and said opening pull cord to be pulled outwardly through said retracted clutch bar and its respective carrier, whereby said pleats fold successively from outermost t0 innermost pleat.

3. An article of manufacture comprising a drape carrier slide bracket for cooperation with a cord and including a body, a reduced width neck to fit between the opposed slide edges of a drape track and a flange to over- 3 extend on opposite sides of said neck within said track, said body providing slot means therein, a clutch bar movably mounted on said slide bracket body, to slide in said slot means and having a latch foot within said body of greater width than said slot means, said body and said clutch bar each having notch means therein including an entry portion and a cord latching portion, connection means depending from said body and providing means cooperative for drape and bracket connection, said body not-ch means and said clutch bar notch means being in adjacency when said clutch bar stands unclutched from said cord and normal to the cord axis when said cord extends slidably through the respective adjacent clutch bar notch means and body notch means, and cord movement through the body in the direction of said clutch bar and in frictional contact in said clutch bar notch means causing said clutch bar to move longitudinally outwardly through said body slot means into clutched frictional connection with said cord as said latch foot latches within said body, whereby said slide bracket and said clutch bar must move with said cord and to carry therealong a drape pleat hooked into said connection means opening, said clutch bar being adapted to trip and stand unclutched when said cord carries it into engagement with a stopped slide bracket.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 483,450 9/1892 Hubert 24115 1,494,428 5/ 1924 Kirsch 345 1,818,786 8/1931 Bond 160-346 1,756,365 4/1930 Kirsch 160345 2,012,460 8/1935 Vallen 160126 3,105,543 10/1963 Nolan 160-346 5 REINALDO P. MACHADO, Primary Examiner. 

2. A DRAW DRAPE ASSEMBLY INCLUDING A HORIZONTALLY EXTENDING TRACK, A PAIR OF SLIDES SLIDABLY MOUNTED ON SAID TRACK, A PAIR OF PLEATED DRAPES, EACH WITH INNERMOST PLEAT CONNECTED TO A RESPECTIVE SLIDE AND WITH OUTERMOST PLEAT CONNECTED TO A RESPECTIVE TRACK END, A CARRIER CONNECTED TO EACH PLEAT AND SLIDABLE IN SAID TRACK, EACH CARRIER BEING PROVIDED WITH CORD RECEIVING NOTCH MEANS FACING REARWARDLY OF SAID TRACK AND ALSO BEING PROVIDED WITH CLUTCH BAR SLOT MEANS AND WITH A CLUTCH BAR HAVING CORD CLUTCHING MEANS THEREIN, SAID CLUTCH BAR EXTENDING HORIZONTALLY, LONGITUDINALLY OUTWARDLY THROUGH THE RESPECTIVE CARRIER PROVIDED CLUTCH BAR SLOT MEANS IN RESPECTIVE TRACK END DIRECTION, A FIRST AND SECOND PULLEY MEANS MOUNTED IN RESPECTIVE ENDS OF SAID TRACKS, AN OPENING PULL CORD EXTENDING OVER THE PULLEY MEANS IN ONE TRACK END AND INSERTED THROUGH THE NOTCH MEANS OF SUCCESSIVE CLUTCH BARS AND OF THEIR RESPECTIVE CARRIERS AND CONNECTED TO THE NEAREST SLIDE AND THENCE EXTENDING WITHOUT SAID TRACK AND OVER THE PULLEY MEANS OF THE OTHER TRACK END AND BACK TO BE INSERTED THROUGH THE NOTCH MEANS OF SUCCESSIVE SLIDE BARS AND OF THEIR RESPECTIVE CARRIERS AND CONNECTED TO THE OTHER SLIDE, AND A CLOSING PULL CORD EXTENDING OVER SAID FIRST PULLEY MEANS AND WITHIN SAID TRACK AND TIED TO SAID OTHER SLIDE, SAID CLUTCH BAR NOTCH MEANS AND SAID SLOT MEANS BEING CONSTRUCTED TO PERMIT SAID CLUTCH BARS TO SLIDE LONGITUDINALLY OUTWARDLY WITH RELATION TO SAID CARRIERS TO CLUTCH THE RESPECTIVE CORD THERETHROUGH THEREBY TO LATCH SAID CARRIERS TO SUCH CORD UPON SAID CLOSING PULL CORD BEING PULLED, AND TO PERMIT SAID CLUTCH BARS TO SLIDE BACK INTO THEIR RESPECTIVE CARRIERS UPON CONTACTING A PRECEDING CARRIER WHEREBY TO PERMIT SAID RESPECTIVE PLEATS TO FOLD AND SAID OPENING PULL CORD TO BE PULLED OUTWARDLY THROUGH SAID RETRACTED CLUTCH BAR AND ITS RESPECTIVE CARRIER, WHEREBY SAID PLEATS FOLD SUCCESSIVELY FROM OUTERMOST TO INNERMOST PLEAT. 